It had merit, however, in that the Spartans played with good effort, executed on offense with the pass when the Bears tried to take away the run and the defense collected four interceptions.

Turnovers are a good thing, even if there remain great concerns with penalties and the lack of a pass rush.

Some of the penalties were on first-year players, but having a third game in four that totaled 11 penalties is foreboding in the least.

Wisconsin, this week's opponent as the Big Ten season gets under way, would love to see the Spartans have 11 penalties Saturday at Spartan Stadium. MSU needs to clean it up.

Give the Spartans a "B" for the Northern Colorado game. They should have won in a romp, and did, and they handled not having Dantonio on the sidelines in a seamless, organized manner.

BIGGEST CONCERNFor many, it will be the penalties. For me, as long as penalties come with proper effort and not simply bonehead play, they are a problem, but not the biggest problem.

The biggest concern is the lack of a pass rush. The quarterbacks who have played against the Spartans are getting entirely too much time to execute plays against a four-man rush.

The Spartans didn't have a sack against Northern Colorado. Sure, they probably called off any blitz notions early, but it seems against the outmanned Bears, MSU's front four should have at least netted one sack.

Highly touted recruit William Gholston has been a bit player, and clearly with his size and speed seems to have rush tools. It might be time to unleash him a bit more.

The Spartans take great pride in stopping the run. It's always the basis of their game plan on defense. It's time to get after the passer better, too. Pressure shouldn't come only when a gambling blitz is called.

BIGGEST POSITIVEThe passing game, and with that quarterback Kirk Cousins, seemed to finally get in a good rhythm.

The running game has gone for more than 200 yards in each of the season's first four games, which is a very good thing. But now comes Wisconsin.

DANTONIO WATCH

Monday: Michigan State sports information had nothing new to report on coach Mark Dantonio, who is recovering from a mild heart attack and stent procedure in a blood vessel leading to his heart.

Quotable: "You only have one heart and he is a dad to his two daughters and a husband to his wife. And family is a lot more important than football and a football game." -- MSU quarterback Kirk Cousins after Saturday's 45-7 win against Northern Colorado